Hey, halfway there! And fun stuff coming up...

Hey, we're halfway there!

Hi backers! Can't thank you enough, we're really excited to report that we're more than halfway to our fundraising goal of $10,000, with 26 days to go! (Big ups to Jeff Hnilicka, co-founder of F.E.A.S.T, for the donation that tipped us past the $5000 mark).

Potential backers: it's not too late to support this project! We haven't been as attentive to pushing this out as we would like to be, in part because we're so consumed with projects right now! If you need a little convincing, here's an update on what we're up to and what kinds of things these funds will go to support.

What are we up to, you ask? Here's an update!

Space build-out + public events

Lots of progress here, the floors are done, shelving, desks, we have wifi (!) and things are functional enough for coworkers now, so Not An Alternative + collaborators are successfully ensconced with office, coworking, and meeting space. Using it already as a hub for coordinating new projects.

Still have a little ways to go for the space to be open for public programming. We're aiming for a launch at the beginning of December, and we have a great event lined up with David Graeber (anthropologist, author, and activist - one of the initiators of the Occupy Wall Street movement this summer). Event hosted by Jacobin Magazine.

Projects: art and actions production for Occupy Wall Street

We got a grant to rent a raw warehouse space for art production for Not An Alternative projects that will function symbolically and tactically, coordinated with Occupy Wall Street and community groups on the front lines of the economic crisis. We have a 12 hr assembly line going daily now, with lots of volunteer builders, artists and organizers in and out. Exciting! Will be ready to send updates and photos soon...

We also just launched a new project and website called #whOWNSpace, an initiative by DSGN AGNC with Not An Alternative and DoTank:Brooklyn, which involves the mapping of POPS (privately-owned public spaces) in NYC. First phase = research, Second phase = pedagogy (with the Public School NYC), Third phase = actions designed to reclaim the commons.

If you're interested in getting involved in any of the above, let us know: info@notanalternative.net. We'd love to hear from you.

Programming

While we haven't opened No-Space for public programming yet, we're doing programming in other venues in the interim. No rest for the weary. Some samplings:

November 3: Cheeky Actions from the Plane Stupid Climate Movement, celebrated UK-based campaigners John Stewart and Dan Glass were detained and deported at JFK, so we rescheduled and hosted a virtual Skype event with them at NYU's Hemispheric Institute, in collaboration with the Yes Lab. Worked out great, and low carbon footprint to boot!

That was a long update, but there's lots going on. And thus a semi-neglected Kickstarter push. We're planning to ramp up the Kickstarter publicity this week so we can get closer to our goal of $10k. Anything raised above that will go to the projects we're producing for #OccupyWallStreet, including winterizable architecture.

Can you help us push this out this week? Here's how!

1. Facebook: post the kickstarter video on your Facebook profile with this link

2. Twitter: send a tweet of your choosing (below are samples, but feel free to come up with your own!). Tip: it helps to include "Pls RT" or "please Retweet" in your tweet - always results in a higher retweet rate.

Great kickstarter video from one of my fave art/activism groups NotAnAlternative. Support them and their #OWS work! http://kck.st/qKLUBc

3. Email: send a personal email plug / appeal to a list of pals / cohorts / compadres. Let them know that you're backing this project, and why. Peer to peer fundraising is infinitely more effective than general publicity or posts. Cuz people trust and like people that they trust and like, makes sense, right?

This takes about 10 minutes longer than posting to Facebook, but the personal plug and referral will be about 10 times more effective at generating new donations, so if you can spare the time and you want to see this funded, please go for it! We're happy to help with sample copy, just let us know!